Everlasting Snow
by Kurosaki Ichigo Rukia
Summary: Ichigo's daughter is a special girl that can change the heart of a lot of people. But, can she change the heart of the person that hates her the most? IchiRuki; HitsuKarin; ByaYoru and a mysterious paring...
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so you guys are probably thinking "look this one, she is like the other, stating other fanfic while haven't finish the other… shame."**

**Yah, I'm a shame and I like it… whatever… I had been with this story on my mind since a long time, and, once my instincts yell while my mind whispers, I decided to do this… I mean to post this.**

**I don't own Bleach, if I had that pleasure, I would be rich and didn't have to do strange things to get money… don't get the wrong idea!! You perv minds… **

**Chapter 1: A Bond… or a Promise**

* * *

_**Memories, to re-watch. **_

_**In this closed chest.**_

…

From the wall Ichigo was reclined, he watched his daughter with a smile on his face.

She looked so much like _her_. The same hair color, the same tiny body… the same smile. God! Even the way her hair laid on her shoulders was the same. And the way she looked at him, with the same confidence in the eyes that once belonged to… _her._

Ichigo smiled. _Their_ daughter.

"Rukia!"

She turned around. Her honey-amber eyes looked at him, a smile on her lips.

"What is it, chichiue (father)?" God! Even her voice was so similar to _her_.

"Time to go home, sweetheart."

She smiled and got up from the floor, looking one last time to the grave where it could be read:

_Kurosaki Rukia, loved wife, mother and friend. _

"Time to go, hahaue (mother)."

Ichigo got away from the wall and hold his daughter little hand in his looking next to the grave.

"Goodbye, my love." A small smile appeared in Ichigo's mouth. "I love you, midget."

"Bye, hahaue." Her little hand went to her mouth, were she place a kiss, resting next in the grave, right above the name. "I love you."

Ichigo smiled down at her and, still holding her hand, started walking home. It was January 14, _Rukia's_ birthday, one of the two times in the year that he and their daughter would go _together_ visit _her_. Of course, Ichigo would constantly go to the cemetery to talk to _Rukia_. In the beginning he didn't went so to see her. He couldn't, just the idea that _Rukia_ had died killed him inside… made him lost his soul.

"Rukia." Ichigo looked down at her.

She lifted her head up and placed her amber eyes in his. Amber against amber.

_Amazing… of all things, she had to stay with my eyes…_

He always loved _Rukia_ eyes. Those amazing blue-violet eyes… that always had made him remembered of the midnight sky.

"Are you tired?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

She shook her head. "No. Somehow I never feel tired after visit hahaue."

Ichigo didn't ripple. He too could feel it. The courage and the strength _Rukia_ seemed to give him, even after she died. And to help all that, this little thing _she_ had left behind had the same soft and warm smile _Rukia_ used to give him when he was lost… well, when she didn't yell at him for being an idiot.

Ichigo hold tightly on the little hand place in his.

_Thank you, Rukia… thank you so much!…_

"Chichiue? Are you ok?"

Ichigo looked down again. In her amber eyes he could see care and love. How could such a small child love him and care for him this much? In the nights, when he put their daughter to sleep, he always asked himself if _Rukia_ had really left, just letting behind their baby to teach him so many things?... Now he could understand why his oyaji (dad) acted the way he did when his okasan (mom) died. He had to deal with three little kids, not just one like him, and Ichigo remembered, when _Rukia_ died, that his oyaji was always there to help him and give him advices about how he should act and what he should do. "_Rukia-chan may have left you, but you have that little one to raise!"_ Yes. Their daughter needed him. He promised to his oyaji and to _Rukia_ that he would give their daughter everything. He would be father and mother!

"Hai! I'm fine, don't worry, my love." He let go of her hand and placed him arm around her tiny shoulders. "Aren't you cold?" he kissed the top of her head.

Rukia shook her head "No."

It was winter and the cold was more and more each day but, somehow, Rukia didn't seem to notice. Could she be like Toushirou? Well, _Rukia_'s zanpakutou was ice, and so was Toushirou's and Ichigo couldn't remember one single winter were Toushirou wouldn't wear just a t-shirt.

And _this_ Rukia seemed to be the same, even if she hadn't found her own zanpakutou yet.

"We go to our home or to jiji-chan's (grandpa) home?" she asked.

"To your jiji-chan's home. Yuzu-obasan (auntie) is making dinner there, she invited us."

Ichigo saw a big smile appear in his daughter face. She loved her grandfather as well as her aunties and uncles.

"Will ji-sans be there too, and Karin-obasan too? I want Toushirou-ji-chan to tell me more about dark magic." She said, excitement visible in her voice.

"Yes, they will."

Ichigo didn't hide anything from her. She knew she was a shinigami, or at least, someone who could become one. She knew everything about the sinigamis as well as that the eight men who she called uncles were all shinigamis, and more, taichos (captains). All of them left Soul Society, some in order to create a family, like Toushirou and Byakuya, others just to rest from the war against Aizen, which wasn't over yet. Aizen escaped weak and badly injured, although, nobody could sense is reatsu anymore so everyone started to think he died somewhere. But Ichigo still keep is guard. He didn't believe that Aizen would just die so easy, no that the war had been easy because is hadn't, he just couldn't imagine Aizen die in such a… dishonored way.

Ichigo came back to the living word in order to guarantee the safe of the people who lived in Karakura and his family and, of course, _Rukia_ came back with him. He didn't need to ask her, she just followed him. Like she always had done…

Ichigo smiled to the void.

_Rukia… the person who changed my world, the only one who stopped the rain…_

**Flash Back**

"_Oyaji… what… how… why… are you… dressed was… a shinigami?..."_

_Ichigo was shocked. His dad was wearing a shihakusho (shinigami robe)._

"_Now, now my son. You look shoked." Isshin smiled at his son "Did you see a ghost? Haha!"_

_Ichigo couldn't believe, his father was a shinigami… all this time… did his father knew about him? Was he watching him all this time? What about her mother? Did she know that the man she married was a shinigami?_

"_Ichigo. Don't worry, your mother knew everything. And yes, she could see hollows too, that's why she protected you in that rainy day, she saw it. Now, get your ass up and let's finish this stupid war!"_

_Ichigo didn't object. The most important thing was end with Aizen, later he would have time to talk to his dad._

…

_At the end Aizen run away._

_Ichigo was tired, bleeding and furious. He had failed. Aizen had escaped and most of the shinigamis were badly injured. _

"_Ichigo!"_

_He turned his face at the sound of _her_ voice._

"_Ichigo!"_

Rukia…_ oh God! She was alive!!_

"_Rukia!!!" he run to her and hold her. God! She was alive… "Thank God, Rukia, you are fine…"_

"_Of course I am, idiot! I promised we would save the reunion for later didn't I?"_

"_Still, saying and have it done is a complete different thing." He let her go just enough to look at her in the eyes._

_She gave him a small smile. "Yah, a completely different thing." Her eyes travelled through his body, hesitating at the scars and at the blood. He was so injured… Her head fall in his chest. "You are awful Ichigo. Why couldn't I come to help you?"_

_He caressed her hair while resting his face in the top of her head._

"_If you had come here it would be worse. You would be in danger."_

"_I was in danger in Hueco Mundo as well, Ichigo."_

_She tried to get away from the hug but he didn't let her._

"_You are wrong Rukia. In Hueco Mundo the worse had already ended, here didn't. What if Aizen got you again and used you against me? What would I have done?" he hugged her more "If I lost you, I would die…"_

_Now Rukia was worried. Ichigo never had spook like this before. Yah, he had been afraid of his hollow, afraid that we wouldn't be able to protect his friend but never like this… Ichigo was shivering. Her hand went to his face, making him look at her. _

"_Ichigo?..." was he crying? "Ichigo?"_

"_I'm fine… I'm just too happy…" he laughed a little and place his both hand in her face "Oh Rukia…" he lied further and kissed her in the lips, just a simple touch, a simple pressure. He needed to do this. He needed to feel her._

_He brooks the kiss and hugs her again. For what Rukia could see, so soon Ichigo wouldn't let her go. _But, to tell the true, I don't want to let him go neither._ She hugged him too, burying her head in his chest._

…

"_So, my son! How is it going to be?" Isshin was sitting next to Ichigo, which was in a bed at the fourth division._

_They went back to Soul Society. The fake Karakura had disappeared and the poor humans went back to their lives, without a single clue of what had happened just some hours ago._

"_What do you mean 'how is it going to be'?" Ichigo was still a little shocked about his dad but the fact that he was a shinigami explained a lot of things._

"_I mean, about your life. What are you going to do?"_

"_I'm going back to Karakura. My home is there, my life is there."_

_Isshin gave him a small smile. "If that is what you wish." With that, Isshin got up and left._

_Ichigo looked through the window. Why was his dad asking that? Wasn't it obvious that he would go back home?_

_Then, in Ichigo's head a light appeared._

_Rukia! Would she go back with him? Her place was in Soul Society, yes, but it was also in Karakura._

_A memory of a landscape, him and Rukia, right after he went to Soul Society to save her, came to his mind. She had decided to stay here… _

'_I belong here, Ichigo.'_

_What if she made the exact same decision? _

_Ichigo almost went crazy that time. He didn't want to go through the same again… if Rukia was staying here, then he would stay too. He needed her as much as he needed oxygen._

_Rukia… he would do anything to stay with her… anything!_

…

"_Ichigo? What did you wanted to talk with me?"_

_Rukia and Ichigo were in the same landscape they were last time he came to Soul Society. And Ichigo had a strange expression. He seemed… lost._

_What in the world was going on?_

"_Ichigo?" Rukia called again._

_His back was facing her when he spook. "You know. I don't have to go back to Karakura… I can stay here… the old man say I have the strength to become a Taicho… I… we…" he turned around and looked at Rukia. "I don't want to go back to Karakura and let you here… I can't… I just can't Rukia…"_

_She didn't say a world. She just went to him stopping right in from of him. Ichigo was waiting for her to say something, anything, but instead of speak, Rukia extend her tiny hand to his hair and pulled his head down till his lips touch hers. His arm involved her tiny waist while is tough fought with hers._

_She tasted so damn good… he would do anything to taste her every single day. Anything…_

**Flash Back End**

Rukia talked all the way home. The topic changed from her cousins, to her school passing through her thoughts about a lot of things.

Ichigo could find where Rukia had got that side from. He didn't know anyone in his family that would talk so much during so many hours. Well, yah, his oyaji talked a lot with his okasan poster but still, not as much as Rukia…

Ichigo enjoyed this times with his daughter. She taught him so much… but she had suffered at the beginning too. Of course she was still a baby, but he could see that she knew when he was lost in thoughts and would just leave him, losing her too in her own thoughts.

Sometimes, when they were just the two in home, she would sit near him and stay like that. Ichigo reading a book or watching TV and Rukia sited next to him enjoying the moment. Of course, those times wouldn't always happen, once _he_ lived with them, the man Rukia saved from death.

Seriously, this girl was really something!!! Just like her okasan… Although, Rukia was freer spirit them her mother. But why _him_?

"Rukia-chan!"

Ichigo got out of his thoughts when he heard _his_ voice.

"Gin-ji-chan!!!"

Rukia let go of Ichigo embrace and run towards his uncle - well, one of the eight… - letting him lift her in his arms.

Ichimaru Gin was the man his daughter saved from death. Well, it wasn't exactly like that… she had a _long_ battle with the old man Yamamoto… well not exactly _long_ it was more like… Rukia said and old man Yamamoto did.

**Flash Back**

_Ichigo had decided to show his little hime Soul Society from his point of view. Rukia loved the way Ichigo described Soul Society, she always laughed about it. He showed her where he saved her okasan and when she would be older, he would tell her the entire story. _

_Ichigo was showing he the First Division when, suddenly Rukia stopped and started to run. Ichigo was shocked at first but started following her right after but, God, she was fast! She much had got that speed from him…_

_Ichigo got to where Rukia was going when he saw the __Soukyoku__ and that there were taking an execution. The place where _Rukia_ had almost died… _

"_Rukia!" Ichigo yelled "Come here right now!!"_

_She didn't listen. She was too focusing on what she was feeling. That sadness… it was like something was crying…_

_Shit! She was so fast!! Or maybe Ichigo was getting old…_

…

_When Ichigo finally reached his daughter she was in hold the only one left alive from the war with Aizen. Ichimaru Gin. _

"_Rukia!" Ichigo started "Come here right now! I'm not kidding."_

_She shook her head. "No!" she holds more onto him. "You can't let them kill him, chichiue!"_

"_Kurosaki Ichigo!" the old man Yamamoto call him "Take you daughter out of there. Or she will die too."_

"_Yes, Sir. Just a moment." _

_Ichigo walked to her daughter, never taking his eyes from the man she was holding._

"_Rukia…" Ichigo garb her shoulder. "Let go. He is the enemy."_

"_No!" Rukia tried to grad his chichiue hand "he is a good person!!"_

_Without a warning, Ichigo grabs her daughter and take her away from the man, stopping next to Yamamoto._

_In his arms, Rukia yelled and kicked. _

"_Rukia, stop!!" Ichigo yelled again. Why was she acting this way?_

"_No! You can't let him die!! He doesn't have fault of what happened!! It was all Aizen fault!!"_

"_Wait!" Ichigo managed to say. "Slow down and start it again."_

_Rukia turned to Yamamoto, extending her tiny arms to the old man. Happily, he took her from Ichigo, holding her secure in his arms. The way the old man Yamamoto treated Rukia was a surprise in the beginning to all. See the old soutaicho al soft with the little girl was a shock to all, as the time passed they got used to it. Although, the little Rukia was the only one able to bring that side of the old man out… _

_She placed her little hand in each side of his face, looking deep in his old eyes._

"_He has a good heart… really! But he was lost and Aizen was the only one who gave him a hand." She looked at the man and then back at the soutaicho "What would you do if the only man who acknowledged your existence asked you to stay loyal to him, even if you had to betray your comrades?"_

_All the taichos around her were looking at her shocked. How could such a little girl see so much in a man like Ichimaru Gin?_

"_Ne, jiji-chan… don't let him die… please" she made a baby face. "Let him come home with me and chichiue."_

_Ichigo look at her. Take that man to OUR house? Was she insane?? _

_Rukia looked at Ichigo, just like if she had read his thoughts._

"_Chichiue? Please… don't let him die… he had already suffered so much… he doesn't deserve to die… not him…"_

_How could Ichigo defend himself against her? She had his eyes!!_

_Ichigo looked at Gin. He had his ruby eyes open… was it shock? _

_Rukia get out from Yamamoto arms and run to Gin._

"_Ne, , if chichiue take you away from here and get you home with us, will you stay with us till the end of your life?"_

_Ichigo rolled his eyes. She was so dramatic…_

_Gin was looking at her. He could say anything… his voice wouldn't just come out._

"_Ichimaru Gin." His eyes went to Ichigo. "You heard her. Let's go." he turned and stated to leave._

_Suddenly, Gin found himself free and, the little girl who saved his ass, was holding his hand and pulling him away from the death zone. He looked down to her._

"_Hi again! My name is Kurosaki Ichigo Rukia, I'm five years old. And that man with orange hair is my chichiue." she smiled at him. _

_And, for the first time in a long time, the smile that appeared in Gin face was a true smile. A smile of hope._

_**Flash Back End**_

"Chichiue?!" Rukia yelled "What are you still doing there?"

Ichigo looked at his daughter still in Gin arms.

Gin changed since that day, that Ichigo was sure.

"Ichigo!" Gin called "Are you going to freeze out there?"

With a smile in his face, Ichigo made his way to his daughter and, he dare to say after so many years, to his close friend, entering next in the house.

* * *

**So, my beloved readers! Or this who bothers to read my fanfics… tell me what you think! You know, if you get all happy when you receive a review, why can't you do the same friendly ****gesture****? So, click in that little box down there. I won't say I love you all coz I don't. Just these ones who never let me down, and say that my grammar mistakes are more and more.**

**See ya all…**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, here is the secund chapter!**

**I just would like to add this lil thing: when I'm refering Rukia, Ichigo's wife I'll put it in italic and in the flash bacj it will be normal.**

**i want to thank Kween Of Roses for be my beta. You saved my life, really. **

**enjoy :)**

**oh! i dont own Bleach, if I did the new ending would be between Ichigo and Rukia not with that STUPID Orihime! c'mon! the lyric is so beautiful! so why her?????**

* * *

Chapter 2: Memories in the night sky

**Floats down from the sky**

**A white feather, look kind.**

The house was full, just like the Kurosaki's liked. The smell of delicious food spreading through the house, the people in there talked freely and happily. Children run in the house with adults telling them to stop. Laughs and screams filled the house.

Ichigo, which had been talking to Shunsui, was looking at his daughter. Rukia was sat in Gin lap, listening to him talking to his dad. Somehow, when anyone acknowledge Gin coming to live with Ichigo and Rukia, Kurosaki Isshin had let the ex-taichou become part of the family, along with Yuzu, and since that day, Gin and Isshin become good friends, just like Ichigo had.

**Flash Back**

_Ichigo was worried._

_How would everyone react to Ichimaru Gin? Not well surely. He had been enemy of Soul Society since he left with Aizen to Hueco Mundo. And surely, everyone knew that he was going to be executed today… everyone except Ichigo!_

Rukia_ was right, he really was a feather-brained…. _

_Ichigo sighed. If _Rukia_ had been there, nothing like that would have happened… but his _Rukia_ was dead… leaving behind a mini-Rukia to get him in trouble. But Ichigo couldn't really be mad. He loved his daughter and would do everything to make her happy… and so that _Rukia_ couldn't blame him when he died. _

_Ichigo looked to his back, watch his daughter talking happily with Ichimaru. At this time, Ichigo felt sorry for him. He knew sometimes his daughter could be tiring. But, if you looked carefully, Gin seemed to be very interested in what she was saying, and Ichigo could deduce this because he was participating in the conversation and not merely pretending to listen to her._

_Something inside Ichigo warmed. Maybe this was a good thing…_

…

"_What is he doing here??" Toushirou yelled._

_Ichigo had reached his house just to find all his friends and family there. As expected, the fact that Gin was with him had gotten a very negative response, and it got worse because he has holding Rukia in his arms._

_Everyone glared at Ichigo and next at Gin. Byakuya moved to take Rukia from Gin's embrace, the small girl just held on tighter._

"_Ichigo," Byakuya started "what is this man doing here? He should have been executed today."_

_Ichigo didn't say a thing just rubbed the back of his head, even if he wanted to say something he couldn't because his daughter had jumped out of Gin's arms and placed herself in front of him with her arms open to the sides._

"_No one of you will lay a hand on Gin-jii-san!!"_

_Everyone looked at her with disbelief, including Ichigo, till…_

"_That is my granddaughter!!"_

_Isshin appeared from seemingly nowhere and placed himself next to her holding Gin shoulders and looking at him._

"_You are welcome to this house my boy! If my granddaughter and my son brought you here then you have a good heart!"_

"_Good heart my ass!!" everyone looked at Toushirou. "He betrayed Soul Society! He teamed up with Aizen and almost killed everyone!! How can you say he has a good heart?!"_

_Isshin either didn't hear Toushirou, or simply ignored him and continued to talk with Gin and his granddaughter._

"_Tell me my sweetheart, how did you find this poor man?"_

"_Well, I was walking around Soul Society in the 3__rd__ division with chichiue" Rukia jabbed a finger in Ichigo's direction without looking at him and focusing on her grandfather "then, I felt a strange thing, like it was someone crying, so I turned my head to where I thought the sound was coming from and I saw him" Rukia jabbed her finger to Gin always looking at Isshin "then the crying was more intense… I guess that is the word… and I shunpoed to him, there I found jiji-san and other taichous." Rukia's expression became sad "Gin-jii-san's eyes were so sad…"_

_Everyone that had been listening to the girls' story, including Ichigo, wondered how the little girl saw Gin eyes since he always had them closed, but no one said a word._

"_So I tried to run to Gin-jii-san, but I couldn't because chichiue grabbed me so I turned to jiji-san and begged him to let him go so that he could come home with me and chichiue. That's it."_

_Rukia gave Isshin a big smile and took a deep breath, as she had told the whole tale in one breath._

_Isshin looked at the others._

"_He is going to stay with us."_

_That was all anyone needed. Isshin could seem stupid and act like a dumbass, but when he got serious, nobody could find the power to object._

_Ichigo smiled and went to his daughter, grabbing her in his arms, and looked at Gin._

"_You are going to stay at our house, just like she said." Rukia place her head on his shoulder, a sign that she was tired. Ichigo adjusted her better. "Let's go."_

_With that he walked out the door. Gin followed him obediently._

_**Flash Back End**_

Ichigo would give anything to know what his deceased wife thought about this.

But, five years had already passed since that day, and Gin had became Ichigo's best friend… well, they lived together with Rukia, and Chad left for Mexico finishing high school, and the last time Ichigo saw him was in his wedding.

Since that blessed day, Ichigo lost contact with him. He didn't know if he was good, if he had finished college… God! He didn't even know if he had married!

The same happened with Ishida, but at least they still changed some calls and e-mails.

Ishida left to America with Orihime. Not as a couple. Or at least that was what he told him before leaving.

The reason?

Open a hospital.

But the real reason was because of Orihime. As it seemed, Orihime was in love with him and couldn't bear, let alone support the fact that he had started dating _Rukia_ officially and was going to marry her. Or at least that was what _Rukia_ told him. But, hell, he only regretted that his friends had to leave!

Tatsuki had left too. She went to Europe to a karate school.

Well, he had his shinigami friends… and the one who was closest to him, aside of Gin that is, was Toushirou. He was one of the shinigamis that come to the living world, but his intentions had been hidden for a long time.

As Ichigo understood, Toushirou somehow managed to fall in love with his sister, Karin, and it all began with a soccer game right before the war with Aizen truly began. So it seemed that the war made Toushirou open his eyes to how empty his life was… and to help all of that, Hinamori Momo disappeared too. It seemed that one day, when Toushirou came to the living world to talk to him, he saw Karin. And from there their story truly began.

Ichigo smiled, he liked Toushirou well enough, and he was never against them dating, unlike all the others thought he would be. He could see how much Toushirou loved his sister and he knew Toushirou would never stay with someone he didn't like and wasn't fully committed to, and the proof of that love and commitment was the child they had made, his nephew, a beautiful boy with white hair just like Toushirou and onyx eyes like Karin. And the temper! The perfect combination of both!

Ichigo laughed a little. Just in the Kurosaki family to happen something like this.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked to the side to find the boy of his thoughts.

"Toushirou!" he smiled "What brings you here?"

"Well, my beloved wife and my son." Toushirou laughed a little. "Karin is talking to Yoruichi about something that I don't want to find out and my son left me for Yoruichi and Byakuya's daughter."

Ichigo's eyes fell on a girl with long dark hair like her father, dark skin, like her mother, but not so dark, and yellow, grey eyes. Ichigo was sore that, when Yoru grown up, she would just be as beautiful as her mother.

"Well, mine seemed to like Gin more."

Toushirou's eyes fell on the petite girl in Gin's arms.

"I swear to you that I couldn't believe Gin had such love inside of him. Rukia was his miracle."

Ichigo laughed.

"You know what he told me when I said that to him?" Toushirou shook his head, "Miracles don't exist in the world. The only things that exist are coincidences and inevitabilities, and the actions people take."

Toushirou looked at Ichigo with a grin.

"He said that?"

"Yup! Apparently, Rukia told this to him when he said she was his miracle."

Toushirou shook his head.

"You have a hell of a daughter!"

Ichigo laughed again.

"Yep! But what was I expecting? She is mine and _Rukia_'s. From us just something that unbelievable could be born."

Both men laughed happily.

They continued talking till Gin approached them with Rukia sleeping in his arms.

"Ichigo, Rukia felt a sleep. It's better if we go. Or do you want to stay longer, I could go ahead with her?"

"Nope. I go with you. It's late."

"Ichigo!!"

The three men looked at Zaraki Kenpachi. Neither of them - nor anyone – could understand why Kenpachi had stayed in the living world. Some say it was because of Ichigo others say he just got bored in Soul Society.

"What?" Ichigo grunted, his standard form on communication with the scared man.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. Rukia fell asleep and it's getting late."

Kenpachi looked at the sleeping girl and smiled. It seemed that no one could see Rukia and still be indifferent to her.

"Fine. Go. I'll talk to you tomorrow. It's nothing important, so it's ok, it can wait. Goodnight."

As fast as he came, he left. The three men shook their heads, said their goodbyes and left.

…

It was cold outside.

The sky night was clean. If you looked up, you could see the stars and the full moon, which gave enough light for the two men to go to the car.

"Do you want to drive?" Gin asked Ichigo.

"Yep. You have Rukia so I'll drive." Ichigo went to the driver sit waiting for Gin to sit next to him with Rukia in his arms.

Their house was close so there was no need to place Rukia in the back seat, and, at 2 in the morning, the streets were deserted.

Ichigo drove in silent. It seemed that between him and Gin, the silence was comfortable. But, somehow, today's meeting, not just with his family but with _Rukia_ too, seemed to put his mind in work.

They reached home in no time. Gin went to put Rukia in bed while Ichigo went to the terrace, to look to the dark sky, filled with stars.

'Time flies…' Ichigo thought. It was amazing. It had already passed eight years since that tumor had taken Rukia.

**Flash Back**

_They were walking in Karakura's park. _

_It was the end of summer but the weather was still warm with the soft breeze, which passed over them from time to time, and made everything more enjoyable. Their daughter, who was 1 and half year only, was asleep happily in _Rukia_'s arms._

_Ichigo loved to watch his two treasures. _Rukia_ turned a very good mother, more than Ichigo was expecting. Well, he knew that _Rukia_ would be a good mother, but that she would need time to adjust herself to the new life. Ichigo wasn't so scared with the baby because he used to help his mother with his sisters, but watching _Rukia_ with their daughter was so pleasant! There was a natural ease to all her actions, it was like _Rukia_ had always took care of babies._

"_Ichigo?" _Rukia_ called him when she saw the stupid smile that spread across his face again._

_Ichigo looked down at her._

"_Yes? Were you saying something?" the stupid smile still there. _

"_No, you just have a stupid smile in your face, nothing more…"_

"Rukia_?" Ichigo saw something pass by _Rukia'_s eyes and, immediately grabbed the baby, kneeling next to his wife, who was with her hand on her head and screaming in pain in the ground._

_Ichigo immediately pulled his cell phone out and called 119. (funny it's the reverse of the American number)_

_He had a bad felling… a very bad felling…_

…

_He wasn't allowed to enter in the room to where they took _Rukia_. He was with their daughter, the other hadn't arrived yet._

_He just prayed that _Rukia_ was alright and that his family arrived fast!_

"_ICHIGO!!" Ichigo turned to find his father and his friends._

_Byakuya took the baby in his arms. _

'Rukia_…' was all that Ichigo thought before collapse on the floor, a pain burning in his chest._

**Flash Back End**

As Ichigo thought, the thing was bad.

_Rukia_ had a tumor, and, due to its localization, it couldn't be removed. Even if the operation was a success, there was only had 3%; _Rukia_ wouldn't live more than one year.

But, _Rukia_ being _Rukia_, decided to live like it just didn't exist. She had a daughter and a husband she loved like hell! So she just couldn't lower her arms. She had to fight, even if that fight was already lost.

A single tear slid through Ichigo's face.

She had lived a year.

During that year, _Rukia_ had lived as much as she could. She had loved Ichigo and their daughter, broken the ice Byakuya always seemed to want to show, called Isshin otou-san (father), travelled with her family and gave a lesson to all that surrounded her. A lesson of life: even if everything seems to fall apart, you can always look in front and made your way through the pain.

But, all that things didn't prepare anyone to the very last day.

**Flash Back**

_It was September, October was coming and the trees were becoming naked. It seemed that the weather was also preparing for what was coming._

_That day, Ichigo woke up early. He smiled to the petit woman still sleeping next to him. Deciding to surprise his beloved wife, Ichigo got out the bed and went to make breakfast. But first he had to go see their daughter._

_The little girl was still a sleep, so Ichigo quietly made his way down the stairs._

…

_He was placing the finished breakfast on a tray, when he felt a pair of tiny hands take hold of his waist._

_A smile appeared immediately on Ichigo's face._

_Suddenly, as fast as the smile come, it was gone when he felt _Rukia_'s hands let go of him and her petit body slid to the floor. Ichigo tried to grab her but was too late. _Rukia_'s breath was slow and weak. In panic, Ichigo run to the phone and called his father, then calling 119. _

…

_One hour had passed, since they reached the hospital, till a doctor come to them giving the news that the tumor had blow and killed _Rukia_._

_Ichigo didn't even bother trying to restrain himself as he slid to floor, crying and yelling for his wife._

_Around him, his family and friends also cried for the loss of a friend. Byakuya reached for Yoruichi, he was crying as well._

**Flash Black End**

Isshin took care of the funeral affairs. He just said he wanted to and that, since he had lost his wife far too early, he knew how Ichigo was feeling, so everyone let him do was he pleased.

On the day of the funeral, rain started to fall.

Just then, Ichigo could see that even the sky was crying.

Everyone went to the funeral, even Ishida and Orihime. But Ichigo couldn't contact Chad, his best friend…

The days that followed that dark day, were worse.

Ichigo couldn't bring himself to do anything.

He would just stay in the house, looking at pictures of him and _Rukia_. He couldn't even look at his daughter… just looking at her made him want to kill himself. How could _Rukia_ leave him here alone with a clone of her??

It was when his father came.

**Flash Back**

_A furious Isshin entered in Ichigo's house with a 2 years old child in his arms. The little girl was holding her grandfather like her life depended on him._

_Ichigo lift his head and looked at his father in the eyes, not daring to look at the child._

"_What do you want old man?"_

_Isshin placed the little girl on the floor and made her walk to her father._

"_Here, she be belongs in this house with you, Ichigo, not in my house."_

_Ichigo, finally gathered the courage to look at the girl but didn't take her when Isshin let her go, and she fell on the floor, she sat there looking at him with her big amber eyes. _

_Isshin sighed._

"_Ichigo, take her." When Ichigo made no attempt at moving, Isshin grabbed his son by the collar and yelled "SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER!" _

_Still Ichigo didn't move, so Isshin let him go and sat on the couch next to him looking at his granddaughter who looked back with sad eyes._

_How could Ichigo not want to hold this cute little thing?_

"_You know my son, she needs you." Ichigo looked at his father, but Isshin just looked at the little girl "She, somehow, knows her mother is gone forever, and that her father doesn't want to look at her, but she just doesn't know why." Isshin looked at his son "It isn't her fault that she looks so much like _Rukia_." His eyes looked again at the child "_Rukia-chan_ may have left you, but you have that little one to raise!" Isshin got up "And I think _Rukia-chan_ isn't proud of you"_

_With that, Isshin left the house, leaving a confused Ichigo looking at a sad clone of _Rukia_._

_It took in several minutes till he spoke to the girl._

"_It's not your fault." A tear slid down Ichigo's face and he closed his eyes, just to open them next when a small hand touched his face._

_The little girl was on the couch - and how she got there he didn't know - looking at him, tears following down on her face too._

_Moved by the moment, Ichigo held his daughter tightly in his arms and both continued crying._

**Flash Back End**

He would always be grateful to his father for that day.

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked around to find Gin at the door frame.

"To where did your thoughts take you?"

Ichigo smiled.

"To the day _Rukia_ died."

Gin walked to him leaning against railing.

"How many years have passed?"

"Eight." Ichigo sighed "Eight long years."

"Ne, when _Rukia-chan_ died, your daughter had already been born…" Ichigo looked at Gin, not sure of what he was saying "What was her name… I mean, you guys didn't name her Ichigo Rukia since the beginning, right?"

Ichigo laughed.

"Oh! I see!! No, her name was Lys." Ichigo grinned "But, after _Rukia_ died I decided to change her name. Since she looks so much like _Rukia_ I decided to give her, her name and because she has my eyes, she has my name."

"Why?"

"I guess this way me and _Rukia_ could live a little longer… mostly _Rukia_."

Gin smiled a little.

"You miss her."

"Like hell!!" Ichigo laughed a little. "She was the one that changed my life."

Gin looked at Ichigo.

"I wish I hadn't scared her so much," he admitted "and that I hadn't followed Aizen."

"Everyone makes mistakes." Ichigo looked at Gin. "I made one with my daughter."

Gin shook his head.

"You were down so it doesn't count as a mistake, just a desperate act." Gin gave him a small smile.

Ichigo returned the smile and looked at the sky. On a night like this one, he had told Gin how _Rukia_ had died and he didn't said anything, just listened, and the next morning, it was like nothing had happened, aside from the fact that Gin was more friendly and, so Ichigo thought, it was on that day they become best friends.

"Thanks, Gin." Ichigo looked again at him "During this five years you have helped me a lot." With that Ichigo went inside to sleep, leaving the sad Gin looking up to the sky.

"_Rukia-chan_? Please don't blame Ichigo. He is doing everything he can." Gin closed his eyes "And I'm eternally thankful to him and to your daughter for having saved me in that awful day." Gin opened his eyes, still looking at the sky "They acknowledged me for what I am. Ichigo is my best friend. He trusted me with a lot of things, including your death. So, please, go easy on him."

Gin took a deep breath before entering the house and going to sleep.

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**I have something to confece... I cried when i wrote the part were Rukia died... I really did!!**

**please, like always, review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**OK! So... it took a long time! my fault... I was with a block, as I am with Moonlight. I'm stuck... -.-''' ****and I dont have nothing more to say... i guess...**

**I don't own Bleach. If I did, I would never thought of a final form of Zangetsu... and if I did... it would sucks!**

**

* * *

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**Chapter 3: Meeting of Lovers and Discovering an Enemy**

**The distant sky beyond the window**

**Watching the unreachable clouds**

Ichigo sighed. He needed a break. Which would be in… 2 hours? Well, if no emergencies came his way…

"Doctor Kurosaki!" a young woman wearing a white nurses gown called "An ambulance just arrived; the patient was in an accident!"

Ichigo groaned. _Two hours my ass!_

"What kind of accident?" he asked while walking with the nurse to the emergency room entrance.

"A motorcycle. The patient was riding it when a truck, with faulty brakes, collided with him."

They had reached the entrance, where other nurses were already assisting the patient.

"Take him to the E.R.!" Ichigo commanded.

As the nurses did so, he pulled out his mobile and dialed quickly.

…

**(I'm staring out into the night... Trying to hide the pain... I'm going to the place where love... And feeling good don't ever cost a thing... And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain...)**

Gin took his mobile out of his jean's pocket and looked at the name displayed on the little screen.

"Ichigo?"

**(I'm going home... Back to the place where I belong... And where your love has always been enough for me... I'm not running from... No, I think you got me all wrong... I don't regret this life I chose for me... But these places and these faces are getting old... So I'm going home... Well I'm going home.)**

He pressed the call bottom.

"Yah?"

"_Oh! Great! Look, can you go pick Rukia at school? I have an emergency here."_

Gin grinned.

"'Course. Don't worry about it."

"_Thanks Gin." _Ichigo smiled.

"Ya welcome! Will ya come at time fer dinner?" Gin looked at his clock.

"_Yep! Don't worry about it, I'll be there at time." _He laughed_ "Bye dude."_

Gin laughed too. "Bye, bye"

Well, it seemed he was going to have a good long time with his Rukia-chan.

…

Rukia cried out in happiness as she lied eyes on a man with silver hair at the school gate.

"GIN-JII-SAN!" she jumped into his arms.

Oh God! She had such a big smile!

"Hello, my love!" Gin kissed her nose. "How was yer day?"

She laughed. While he put her in the ground and they started walking home.

"Great! I kicked Kaito's ass!"

Gin tried not to smile.

"Rukia, ya know ya shouldn't kick other's asses." He said, trying to sound serious.

"I know, but he started it." her eyes opened wide. "He stole my Chappy pen!"

Gin shook his head. She was really something.

Rukia loved Chappy, The Rabbit just like her mother did. Well, it wasn't like the rabbit wasn't cute…

"Ne, Gin-jii-san?" Gin looked down "Is chichiue still at the hospital?"

"Yep. It seems like there was an emergency, but he will be at time fer dinner."

Rukia suddenly became thoughtful. Seeing her face, Gin let her be.

He knew that when she made this face it was because she was in some place that nobody could reach. _Just like the face Ichigo used to make when he would think about her._ Gin deeply regretted what he did in the past. But what he regretted the most was losing Rangiku, beneath all the cold, calculating grins, he had truly loved her.

But, thankfully, now he had this little girl and Ichigo to help him. Although, he couldn't help but wonder if _Rukia_ was still alive, would he still be here? Would _she_ have taken Ichigo's daughter to Soul Society to rescue him?

He doubted. _Rukia_ would ever have allowed the man she hated and/or feared the most, to live with them. But he didn't blame _her_ for feel that way, once it was true. He was just glad life had given him a second chance.

Suddenly, Gin felt movement at his hand. When he looked down to see Rukia run to the riverbank.

"RUKIA!" he called but she didn't stop. That's when he seen the boy by the river's edge.

…

Rukia was having that feeling again. Like someone was weeping so hard that her ears were hurting.

She was trying to ignore the feeling when she saw him.

He was so near the riverbanks that made her feel like he was going to jump. In this part of the river, the current was so strong that if the boy jumped in, he wouldn't get out.

"HEY!" Rukia screamed while running. "DON'T DO IT!"

The boy turned his head and his blue ocean eyes met her amber ones. He was dressed strangely. His clothes were white… they looked like her chichiue bankai clothes… but in white…

"What do you want brat?" the boy said rudely.

Rukia stopped inches from him, breathing hard.

"Are you crazy? Do you want to die?" Rukia panted slightly annoyed he wasn't grateful she had saved his life.

The boy looked at her annoyed. The nerve.

"What if I do?" he turned to the river. "What does it matter to you?"

Rukia smiled a little.

"You can't die unless your time has come."

The boy frowned.

"Do you drink?"

"What?" Rukia screamed. "Of course not! I'm too young!" and then she laughed.

_She has a beautiful laugh._ The boy smiled a little.

"KYA!" Rukia screamed again. "You smiled!"

The boy shook his head.

"Of course! What, did you think that I can't smile?"

"Well, normally, people that try to kill themselves don't smile."

"Well, sorry for disappoint you, but I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was just looking at the river."

Rukia shook her head.

"No, you were crying."

The boy looked at her. _How did she know…?_

"RUKIA!" Both children turned their heads to the silver hair's man. "Come 'ere right NOW!" he demanded.

Rukia sighed. "Sorry… I have to go." she turned around, but looked back at him one last time. "Don't kill yourself… please."

She smiled a little and then ran to the man.

The boy didn't look away while she ran away._ Why am I feeling sad? And how did she know I was sad? And why do I care?_

He shook his head. Making his sword appear in his left hand, he opened a gate, walking then inside of it without looking back again… at the girl.

…

Hitsugaya Toushirou's head lifted. Did he sense… _it?_ It couldn't be… could it? His thoughts were cut off when something next to him moved. Toushirou looked down to his wife and smiled.

He and Karin were in the couch, in their living room.

Toushirou couldn't find, in his all life, a memory that brought more happiness than the day he understood he was in love with her.

God knew it took him a lot of punches from life and a lot of tears from Karin to make him realize how perfect she was to him… something Momo, now he comprehended, couldn't be. She was his childhood friend and his best friend… the fact that Momo disappeared without a trace almost killed him.

For centuries, he thought he loved her… only her.

But life is strange; and the love he felt for Momo still remains in a deep place in his heart reminding him that nothing is eternal, that everything can vanish with a simple blow of wind. He would be forever grateful for the chance he was given for a life with Karin. And to Karin, who gave him a love he had stopped believing in; and gave him a son.

A beautiful child with black wild hair and turquoise eyes, so like Karin and also in possession of her pure heart. Of course he was 'their' son, so he also had qualities from him. Like his respect for elders – something Karin seemed to have lost… or never had at all – the gift to remain calm when everything around him seemed to fall, not to mention all the little physical details, like his nose, his hands…

Ritsuka.

That was their son's name.

Karin moved softly, getting closer to Toushirou, burying her head in his chest. Toushirou's hand delicately brushed her hair from her face. He couldn't imagine what Ichigo had gone through when _Rukia_ died. If he ever lost Karin… he wouldn't make it… not like Ichigo or Isshin had done. He would fall deep down in sorrow and pain. He couldn't lose the love of his life a second time. It would kill him.

"Toush…" Toushirou jumped when a hand touched his cheek. He smiled softly at her.

"Hey, sleepy head." Karin smiled a little and lifted her body enough to press her lips to his.

Toushirou smiled against her lips. He was crazy about her. Toushirou's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Karin moaned. She loved to have her body fully pressed to his, feeling all his muscles. Toushirou let his tongue lick her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Happily, she gave him access to her mouth. His tongue explored her wet cavern. It was such an old dance, yet he tasted her like it was the first time. Taking his time; in no rush for the fun to end. He loved her taste… vanilla.

He always wondered how he had lived so many years without her taste, without her. Centuries. He spent centuries without knowing her taste… Now that he new, he could never be without it.

Karin let her hands travel through her husband's shirt until they reached his hair, pulling his head back, making him look at her.

Onyx met turquoise.

They stared at each other then Karin smiled. She loved his face, his hair, his eyes. She loved everything about him. He was perfect in his own way. He was perfect for her.

Karin could still remember the first time she meet him. Quite odd, don't you think? She was mad at her brother and taking it out on her ball, causing it spring free of the mesh bag and roll away from her; then she meet this man.

Well he was more of a boy at the time, relatively, but he was so serious! He looked at her, with her ball in hand and after confirming the ball belonged to her, he kicked it back and disappeared.

Of course she was confused; but everything changed when she meet him the second time, though this time she wasn't alone. After trying to talk to him – and him ignoring her – Karin got pissed and kicked the ball with the intention of it hitting him in the head. Instead, he jumped in the air and kicked it back, the ball whistling past her ear, and hitting her friend square in the face.

That's when her friends started liking him, but just like before, he disappeared without a word. The third time she met him, was in the middle of a soccer game with middle school students, a match for training rights on the field. He came from nowhere and, after seeing she was injured, joined the match.

He was spectacular.

He made it look so effortless, like he did nothing but play soccer all day, every day.

With his help, they won the game. But his true nature was yet to be revealed. When a menos appeared and tried to kill her and her friends; Toushirou stepped in and saved that day, the menos didn't even make that much of a mess and everyone was saved.

In truth, Toushirou was that he was a shinigami. A taichou (captain) nevertheless. She didn't hesitate in asking him about her brother.

That was the day Kurosaki Karin met Hitsugaya Toushirou.

A day that has never left her memories…

Toushirou's hand went to Karin's face, caressing her cheek softly. She smiled wider. She was the happiest woman in all the word!

When Karin looked into his eyes, she always seemed to fall into a trance and Toushirou always wondered in what she was thinking; he was about to ask, when the door bell rang.

Karin left her warm entrapment and went to get the door. Their miracle was about to run into the house.

"Kaa-san!" a small boy ran to Karin hugging her legs, because he was too small to even reach her waist.

"Hey baby. How was your day with Ukitake-jii-san and Shunsui-jii-san?" Karin said with the softest voice.

"Great! They took me to the fair! I had a lot of fun!" Ritsuka had always been a happy child; and spoiled too.

"Hey kiddo!" Toushirou came to the door to greet his son with a big smile.

Turquoise met turquoise. And an even bigger smile appeared in Ritsuka's face.

"Tou-san!" Ritsuka jumped to his father arms hugging him.

Toushirou hugged his son and looked over to his wife. She was giving him a big smile and he returned it.

His life couldn't get any better…

Ichigo was tired when he got home. The smell of food filled the house. It was a great relief to have Gin here.

Since he started to live with them, he didn't need to ask his father to pick up Rukia and let her stay in his house when he was going to be late at the hospital. Even if his father always said it was a pleasure to have his first grandchild in his house, Ichigo didn't want to bother him too much. And when started to think about what his father may be teaching Rukia, Ichigo's heart almost stopped beating.

But with Gin, everything was different. He lived in the house, and Rukia never wanted for someone to play with and talk too whenever she wanted, which was always.

Ichigo smiled. Gin never seemed to get bored of her. They had a deep bound. And Ichigo didn't mind. He also developed a deep bound with Gin. His former enemy.

In seconds, after entering the house, Rukia came running from somewhere, jumping to his arms. She was so lovely!

"Hey midget!" his daughter giggled. Ichigo pulled her a little form his body to look at her face… her eyes. Everything was there. _Rukia's_ love and care. She was the perfect image of her mother. "How was your day?"

She giggled again.

"I kicked a friend's ass!" Ichigo tried to make a serious face.

"Rukia, you know you shouldn't kick other's asses!" How could he be serious when he had done the same thing when he was a kid?

"But, chichiwe, he stool my Chappy pen!" She let her head fall a little to the side "And why are you repeating Gin-jii-san? Haven't you kicked other's asses when they made you mad?"

She was SO _Rukia's _daughter!

"Look here little one; what I may or may not have done in the past doesn't have anything to do with what you do know…" Ichigo was trying to use logic.

"Yes it does!" she interrupted him. "It's in my genes or something… jiji-san said so!" She made a serious face "You are really your father's daughter!" she tried to imitate Isshin making a gross voice, not faltering once.

Ichigo broke out laughing, still hugging her. She was REALLY something!

"Yo."

Ichigo turned his head as soon as he head Gin's voice and smiled at him, controlling his laughing.

"Hey." Ichigo said.

"We need ta talk. Privately. Can ya come to the library?" Gin was serious and that didn't please Ichigo.

He nodded, placing Rukia in the ground.

"Go to your room play a little, midget. I and Gin-jii-san need to talk."

The little girl didn't object. Rukia just smiled at her father and left for her room; smiling at Gin when she passed by him.

Ichigo's home library was full of bookshelves. He had every type of book you could imagine. Some were from Soul Society others form the bookstore. A collection of Shakespeare filled one shelf. There were two big windows giving light to the otherwise dark room. A deskwas placed near said windows, a laptop on it.

Gin was sitting in one of the chairs near the straight at Ichigo.

"We are in big trouble Ichigo." Gin was still very serious and worry could be heard in his voice. Ichigo didn't say a world, letting his friend continue. "Aizen's back."

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**So what did my beloved reads think? Please! Let me know, so I can make it better... Please... *puppy eyes* **


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